DAVID WILKINS IS ALIVE, WELL, BECOMING CANADIAN
In case you had forgotten about former House Speaker David Wilkins, we have word that he’s still up in Canada fighting the good fight. And according to Theo Caldwell, who writes something for some Canadian newspaper, Wilkins’ ambassadorship to America Jr. has been extraordinarily successful.
Most impressive has been his support for the Canadian military — which, contrary to popular belief, actually exists and has been a key ally in the War on Terror. Hmm… you learn something new every day.
Wilkins’ gratitude for Canada’s leading role in the Afghanistan campaign has been part of his public pronouncements for some time, so when he was invited to accompany Defence Minister Peter MacKay and Chief of Defence Staff General Rick Hillier to Kandahar, the Ambassador jumped at the chance to thank Canadian troops in person.
“It was one of the most impressive things I have ever seen,” Wilkins says of his time with the troops. “It had a profound effect on me. I got to see first-hand their spirit, their morale and their willingness to do the tough jobs. They are convinced they are making a difference. They believe in their mission and that democracy will take hold and grow in Afghanistan if we give these people … the time necessary to establish a free country. It was an awe-inspiring trip. I wouldn’t take anything for it.”
Wilkins’ admiration for the Canadian Forces extends right up to Gen. Hillier himself, of whom he says, “This guy is the real deal. He is unbelievable. He connects with his troops. We could all go to school on how he does it. He is absolutely a soldier’s soldier, and they just love him.” [The National News]
I’m proud of all the great work he’s been doing, but I’m quite concerned that Wilkins will come back to South Carolina wearing socks and sandals saying things like “How ’bout dem Maple Leafs, eh? I’m aboot sick of those hosers!” and driving around aimlessly looking for Tim Hortons and bagged milk. Also, he will have to re-adjust to the fact that it’s not 8 degrees in July here.
This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 26th, 2008 at 12:32 pm and is filed under Executive. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Really, thanks for mentionning Canada as “America Jr.” as Canadian soliders are fighting and dying as Canadians in the fields of Kandahar. There’s no better way to complement a loyal and independent ally than to patronize and demean them. The Canadian military has existed for a very long time, thank you, and Canadians are very proud of it. Perhaps you could offer links to a bit of Canadian military history instead of a youtube video and stop sounding shocked that it “actually exists?” Of course it does, and it has.
Be a good neighbour.